Our CEO, Pat Musgrave, is celebrating a decade since he first became MD of MVIS. We were able to find time in Pat’s schedule to sit down and talk to him about his time in the highways industry and working at MVIS and the team that runs it.
Here is what Pat had to say:
Where does your passion for ITS come from?
“I guess it stems from when I was a kid. I’ve always liked electronics and messing around with technology. I started off my career as a qualified electrician. Involved in highways, street lighting and that kind of stuff. Rapidly becoming more involved with CCTV and ITS products.
It’s always been more interesting than domestic, industrial and commercial wiring. So, it kind of progressed into that. “
Tell us about your past experience in ITS?
“I mean, obviously, back in the day, I first got involved with MVIS and help set up the company back in 2012 when we became a limited company with ambition, but I guess it was meeting up with Tony Price.
We used to install ANPR cameras something we still do today, and Tony price was working for a company called NDI technologies. I was at a trade show in London, went onto his stand, got chatting and realised that he owned a property at the mill just below our offices in Tansley. I won a few jobs For NDI technology installing ANPR cameras. That was my first sort of involvement in this side of the RTS side of things.”
He continued: “Tony reappeared a couple of years later with his VMS product that he was bringing in from Australia and was struggling with the product. He set up the company Colour Mobile VMS. He was struggling to do anything with it because the competition had already got supply chains in place from America and Canada and amber signs only, and they couldn’t see the value in a colour sign.
Tony, who was in the early stages of marketing the sign, contacted me to say he was displaying it at Traffex and asked if I would like to go along. I jumped in the car, drove to Darley Dale, had a cup of tea with him and it went from there.”
What has been your greatest challenge in the last 10 years?
Pat told us: “It has always been funding. It’s always been my role within the business, pre MVIS and post Colour Mobile to raise the relevant funding to do the projects.
That’s always a challenge, having the money to execute projects from start to finish. So yes, that’s the greatest challenge.”
Do you have a favourite product?
“I guess the Solar IP trailer is my favourite product because we worked really hard to get that developed back in 2011. It’s a very versatile product and the first of its kind to market.”
When asked about MVIS VMS, Pat told us: “The VMS are good and obviously the mainstay of the business. But I take a lot of pride in the solar IP because that was one of the things, we developed on the back of a cigarette packet in the early days.”
Which scheme has given you the most satisfaction?
“I think the first ROTTM scheme that we won along the M6 Junction 10 to 13. Apart from the Olympics, the Olympics is the main one, going back to 2012, but since then, I guess the ROTTM Scheme 10 to 13, because we were basically only really known as a portable supplier. We managed to break into the fixed market against the big boys which was a massive achievement.”
How has the industry changed over the last decade?
“More and more people have come on board and the competition has grown. We were very premature in things that we did in the early days. We had vehicle mounted VMS with CCTV cameras on, 6, 7, 8 years ago, we couldn’t get people engaged in those products back then.
More and more people have come into the market and these things are now coming to the forefront. The biggest thing is the amount of people involved in the industry. The number of competitors is the biggest change.”
What is your greatest achievement since you started MVIS?
“I think it’s having the key people in place and obviously the biggest challenge is having the right management in the right places.”
Pat reiterates: “So, it’s not necessarily my achievements. It’s the team’s achievements. Then there’s achievements of running the business on a day-to-day basis for the last 10 years. So, it’s not about my greatest achievements.
It’s the team’s greatest achievements. Having the right people doing the right roles. Having a pride and passion in that role.”
How many years have you worked in the Highways Industry?
“I guess I’m coming up now for my 40th year having just turned 58. When I left school, doing electrical work and progressed into the streetlighting arena, which had got me first into the highways industry, subcontracting to various streetlighting companies.
So, yeah, you could say I’m in my 40th year of being involved in the highways industry and the ITS arena.”
How has your role changed since promotion from UK MD earlier this year to Group CEO?
“I stayed on, was moved up to Group CEO and continued with the shareholding. I guess, it gives me more of an oversight role. I’ve got more involvement at a higher level. It’s very difficult to have an involvement in the business when it’s being run day-to-day.
Some clarity on my role and that role is basically overseeing strategic decisions, bringing the team together across the world and making us one company. So that’s my role now. I’ve got more involvement at a higher level. Anne runs the UK day to day with assistance from Graeme and Anthony runs Australia day to day.”
What does the future look like for MVIS?
“I suppose previously MVIS had got its own limited opportunities. Now that we are working more as a team between here and Australia, the Research and Development department is working together much more.
We can take MVIS and Bartco Australia together into new markets, new countries with new products. So, it’s an exciting time. If we can keep pace with recruiting the correct people to bring into the business to support the team we’ve got and keep on top of the R&D. Making sure that we are constantly bringing new products to market, that we’ve proved and tested and are fit for purpose.
We have the Solar Barrier coming through and also the new solar IP version 6, which will integrate more equipment and be more powerful. It’s exciting times for the group.”
